Hello Detroit City Council? Listen to Our Hearts

The Detroit City Council has recently decided to hold back Federal funding from non-profit organizations that do not have a sitting board with at least 51% Detroit residents. I am afraid that, if this decision holds, every single person who lives within the Metro Detroit area will lose something. After reading the Detroit Free Press article telling us of the Council's decision, I first got angry. But now, after three days of thinking about it, I am saddened to the point of tears.

I have volunteered for the past five years with more than one non-profit within the city borders. In fact, I gave over 400 hours of my time last year to non-profits that operate in the city. I have met so many wonderful people within the walls of those buildings who have also been reaching out to help. When I speak with the people I meet, one of the common questions we ask each other is "where do you live?" While I can't speak for anyone else, there are two reasons I usually ask this question, the first reason is simply to make conversation. The second is to make a possible friend. In my experience, I would say that 40% or more of the volunteers I have met in the past five years probably live in the Warren, Eastpoint, Royal Oak, and Ferndale; another 35-40% lives in Ypsilanti, Canton, Inkster, Wyandotte, Livonia, and Southfield. Maybe 10% of the people I have met who are volunteering along side of me reside within the city of Detroit. The common thing I have noticed about all of us is that we love the city. I, myself, dream of living in the city one day. I was born in the city and although I have never lived there, many of my friends and family have. While I would love to say that I began volunteering because I had this deep desire to give back, that sadly is not the case. I began volunteering, because someone who I met one day asked me to. This person happened to sit on a board of one of the charities affected by this decision.

I have discovered that most people who sit on Boards of Directors of non-profit organizations are not paid, they volunteer their time and services, usually after a long day at work. Sometimes they may simply be on the board to raise money from their professional contacts. Much of the time, they feel some type of connection to the work the non-profit is doing and they simply want to help.

If the Detroit City Council meets this week and decides to stick with their decision, I believe they will further divide the community at large, which is something none of us want to see or experience. I want so much to volunteer; my heart is in a much better place since I began giving my time. But if the Council goes through with their decision, deciding to take power over non-profits that are housed in the Detroit City limits, I am afraid they will do more harm than good to those they say they are trying to help. While I can't say I will not give anymore money to these charities (I make $20K a year and don't always have that much to share), I can honestly say that I will find it more difficult to give my time to a charity bounded by Detroit City limits. While my 300 plus volunteer hours may not make a difference in the charities services, multiply that by hundreds of people, not to mention those with fatter wallets getting the same "unwanted and unappreciated" feeling in their hearts.

I would just like to ask the Detroit City Council to give much thought to their decision. The Council may hurt many of its own City's residents with this decision along with hurting people like me. Please make a decision based the desire to help the charity succeed in lifting up the residents of this area who are in need. Please do not make your decision based on residency or color, please pay close attention to our hearts instead.